amble wrote:
i'm installing a new system and have found that some of the gear needs
the signal ground lifted. should i do this at the patchbay or the
gear side?

Do it at the gear end of the cable. That way the shield will be carried
through the patchbay if it doesn't need to be lifted.

what should be done about the mixer (balanced) to pathcbay connection
(all mixer i/o go to patchbay) ?

Connect the shields everywhere you can.

-i've read that grounds should be connected at mixer and lifted at gear
but i'm not sure how this applies when a patchbay enters the situation.

That's old school. Leave the shield (which you mistakenly keep calling
"ground") connected all the way. If you absolutely have to lift the
shield, lift it where it will only affect that one piece of equipment.

Don't lift so many shields that you break the signal path. And don't
elsectrocute yourself.